When silent, she emanated an icy aura that kept others at bay.

"Wayne Lane, brother," facing Wayne Lane, Emma’s temper improved significantly, "Why have we stopped chasing? Could it be..."

Could it be that he did so intentionally, to let Hannah go?

Wayne Lane said indifferently, "If we continue forward, we’ll be beyond the borderline."

Emma wasn’t concerned, "So what?"

The borderline was merely symbolic; all the land beneath their feet belonged to the empire.

Wayne Lane didn’t explain further, and ordered his men to pack up the map, "To the border base."

"Yes."

The soldiers quickly packed up their equipment.

The team was ready to turn back.

"Wayne Lane!" Emma stomped her foot in anger.

Her attendant was trembling beside her, afraid of being the target of her wrath.

But Wayne Lane didn’t turn back and just walked away directly.

Even though Emma was dissatisfied, she didn’t dare to chase after him alone and could only clench her teeth and follow to leave.

...

Borderline.

When Wayne Lane found Sheffield Benedict, he was poring over a document.

A paper document.

Though not convenient to carry, in the First Year of Stellar, where information was abundant, paper documents were much safer.

Wayne Lane approached.

On the side, there was a table with liquor and two glasses.

The bottle was still unopened, and the glasses were clean.

Clearly, Sheffield Benedict had prepared them expressly for Wayne Lane.

"You came all the way here, didn’t Emma make a fuss?"

Sheffield Benedict put aside the document, slightly straightened his posture, leaned back in his chair, and through the lenses of his glasses, his gaze was particularly focused.

There was no shortage of gossip about him and Wayne Lane.

Like the recent whispers that Wayne Lane had turned down a marriage with Emma for Sheffield Benedict.

The gossip was outrageously exaggerated.

Wayne Lane loosened the button at his collar, "She insisted on coming herself."

The implication being that he was not responsible for her mood or thoughts.

He opened the liquor bottle and poured two glasses.

Both glasses were filled just enough to cover the bottom.

A couple of sips worth of liquor.

After all, they were at the border; they couldn’t afford to get drunk.

Sheffield Benedict took the glass Wayne Lane handed to him, "Did you find Hannah?"

He too had received the secret royal decree.

It had to be said, no matter how much time passed, the arrogance of the royal family was in their bones, passed down from generation to generation.

Wayne Lane remained standing, looking toward Mount Walters, "No."

As expected.

Sheffield Benedict wasn’t surprised, "Given Hannah’s pace, she should have already met up with those wanderers by now."

"When will they make their move?"

Wayne Lane turned to ask Sheffield Benedict.

Referring to the wanderers.

Sheffield Benedict simply said, "They won’t for a short while."

He didn’t tell Wayne Lane where Hannah had gone.

He merely discussed the wanderers’ movements during this period.

There were no signs they were preparing to take action.

"Hannah said she would seek revenge; it’s only a matter of time before they make their move," said Sheffield Benedict, "Are you prepared to become Hannah’s enemy?"

Wayne Lane just drank and said nothing.

But Sheffield Benedict understood him, "It seems not."

The glass was now empty.

Wayne Lane didn’t pour any more, instead, he just looked up at the darkening sky outside the window.

The deep blue sky, pristine white snow, no stars in sight.

*

Rumors say that in the Abyss of the Lost Realm, a flower known as Sahua blooms.

The fragrance of the Sahua has a magical power that can awaken memories of the past.

Be they lost or forgotten recollections.

Regarding Hannah’s memories from age six to twelve, those lost six years.

This was not just her own memories but also Arnold Simmons’s.